


Ziam AU Prompts

by ohthathurt (cloisterrific_221B)



Series: Drabbles [4]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Alternate Universe - High School, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blind Date, Fluff and Humor, M/M, older!liam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2018-02-11
Packaged: 2019-02-19 16:54:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13127736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cloisterrific_221B/pseuds/ohthathurt
Summary: Prompt: "a hopeless romantic and a horny beast are set up on a blind date" pleaaase





	1. One Last Time

Birds chirping in trees, a breeze ruffling his wavy hair – the best conditions for a blind date to go well, as they say. Well, not really, Liam thought, he wasn’t exactly sure philosophy even touched on the topic of blind dates. Speaking of which; after having pestered Harry about his (lack of) love life, his zen-like friend had nearly lost his temper with him until he finally agreed. Harry had someone in mind for Liam, but it had to be a blind date.

“Maybe he’s ugly?” Niall had offered, one night after an obscene amount of pizza and beer.

Liam had scoffed immediately and dismissed that thought, “If he’s a genuine person that I have something in common with, I wouldn’t mind falling in love with him.” He finished, a dreamy smile gracing his soft features.

Niall paused for a heavy moment before snorting violently, lips pursed in an attempt not to burst out laughing. Liam scowled at him, “Shut up, you’ll see what I’m talking about. I’m telling you, mate, this one is gonna be different.”

Niall immediately sobered his expression, his voice losing that teasing lilt, “Li, mate, I love you man but maybe you should slow down yeah? Enjoy life for what it is, Payno!” Liam was given a friendly slap on his shoulder but he barely paid attention. His mind was whirling through what Niall just said.

He knew he was hopeless. In love with love, as Harry had wisely once said. Liam had only laughed and shrugged it off but lately he felt almost too desperate for a connection. When he saw his parents together, even after all these years, when he saw his sister finally fall for the one man who stuck it out with her and even when he saw Harry’s distant gaze and a loving expression whenever he mentioned his boyfriend, Louis. Of course, he had yet to meet this Louis, he still hadn’t doled out his shovel talk yet.

He sighed deeply, maybe the beer was making him too melancholic, but he decided then and there. This was it, this was the last blind date he’d have in a long time. Then he’d just have fun, like Niall said. Fun - which included going to bars, getting piss drunk and dancing with blurred bodies with wandering hands and a little more than groping in one of the bathroom stalls.

Yeah, sounds a blast, he thought sarcastically. But maybe he needed that, a bit of recklessness in his system. Goody two shoes Liam Payne becoming Party Animal Payne?

Enough rambling, he shook himself off and trudged off to his bedroom, Niall having left his flat a while back.

***  
Being the responsible one in most of his relationships, Liam was never late to his dates. In fact, he was mostly early, like today. He never minded waiting for his dates to arrive and it gave him the opportunity to reflect on his thoughts and maybe even settle his nerves before his date arrived.

All Harry had given him was a name: something like Zane? Or was it with a ‘y’ like his own last name? Liam had only nodded and followed Harry’s directions to a quaint little café round the city center road, the weather was pleasant and he had soon taken a seat on a table overlooking the street.

So far his date hadn’t seemed to arrive, the only occupants of the café was himself, a kid bent over a sketchbook and the wait staff fluttering around the café readying for lunch service.

He took a deep breath and dug for the little notebook in his jacket. Whipping out a pen to go with, he soon started scribbling and scrawling in it, whatever words coming from his mind onto paper. That was his basic writing process, and so far he had penned about six complete songs, and found the melody for at least two.

He was startled out of his flow with a very rude scoff coming from the kid on the couch in front of him. Liam looked up and almost swallowed his own tongue. He was gorgeous and most decidedly not a kid. Not even close, going by the thick scruff he was sporting along with the delicate silver nose ring and several ear piercings.

Liam licked his lips unconsciously, as he took in the low-necked white tee showing off chest tattoos paired with a studded leather jacket. Had he not known any better, Liam would’ve thought he was a famous rockstar of some sort. But being in the industry himself, he knew he didn’t recognize that face or those beautiful amber eyes.

He quickly averted his eyes and trained them back onto his notebook. His ears soon picked up what startled him in the first place.

“Excuse me? I asked for another coffee like the longest time ago yeah?” He all but barked at a poor teenager working there, his awkward stance scurrying off to the kitchens. Yeah, typical jerk: good looking but an arsehole.

Liam tried to focus back onto the notebook in front of him, absently noting that his date was about five minutes late when a shrill ringtone startled him yet again out of his reverie.

It was the leather jacket douche’s cellphone; Liam physically restrained himself from rolling his eyes.

“Hey, mate!” Admittedly, even though Leather Jacket Douche was a jerk with no manners, he had the best voice Liam has heard in the longest time. It reminded him of a glass of whiskey on a stormy day and the smell of rain – what was that called? Ah yes, petrichor. He wrote it all down in his notebook, you never know when little notes could be crafted into a beautiful ballad.

He tuned back into Leather Jacket Douche’s conversation –

“Mate, I’ve been here for hours… No he’s not – No! Lou, don’t you dare! I’m not nervous Yes, I’m sure! No, listen look okay it’s just me here and hang on lemme check…”

Liam kept his gaze fixed on his notebook, not even breathing as he felt eyes rove over his figure, and he bent further into the table until he felt he was being silly and sat up straight. He made the quick decision to look up at LJD, into those beautiful, stormy, amber orbs, before a flush was already rising up his neck. LJD, he noticed, had paused in his conversation, his entire face blank as he stared at Liam. He noticed him gulp and purse his lips before turning his back on Liam and continuing his conversation, this time tone hushed.

“Okay look Lou forget about all this, maybe even call that Liam guy and cancel because there’s this absolute beauty sitting in front of me in this godforsaken café and he’s got these soft brown eyes and Lou have I mentioned he’s gorgeous?”

Yeah, now he was blushing with the force of a thousand suns. Forget suns, he was pretty sure his face was on fire. LJD called him gorgeous. Okay, so still he was a douche but Liam would be dead if he said he hadn’t considered it.

Before he could let any of his thoughts consume him, LJD approached his table. He stood there with soft, black hair ruffled masterfully, an apprehensive look marring his serene features.

“Uhm, hi? I couldn’t help but notice you were here alone and was wondering if you wanted to get a drink?”

Liam stared at him blankly in shock. It only made LJD fidget uncomfortably under Liam’s stare before he continued, “M’name’s Zayn, with like a ‘y’.” He ended his statement with a tiny laugh, eyes crinkling up gently and oh god was that a nose scrunch? Yup, Liam was screwed.

It was only a few seconds later that he registered his name. Zane with a y? Zayn? His blind date, Zayn?

He was pretty sure he sat there with his mouth open in a gob smacked expression. He jolted up with a start and introduced himself, “M’ Liam.”

He cleared his throat and managed a tiny smile which he hoped didn’t look nervous. But Zayn was already ducking his head, a shy smile spreading across his face in realization.

“You’re Liam, yeah? Like my Liam?” Zayn inquired, his eyes widening at his own words before he was awkwardly trying to stutter his way through an explanation. But Liam wasn’t listening. He was too caught up on the way those lips curled around his name, a heavy accent sounding out “Leeyum”.

Yeah, he had stars in his eyes, maybe even hearts.

Maybe after all this time, a higher power was smiling down at him. Because soon he was shaking Zayn’s hand in introduction and already falling in love at the first question, “So, do you like comics?”


	2. The Way You Do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “I desperately need my books but my locker is blocked and you’re the only one in the hall”

Nope, nope, this was not happening, the universe was clearly working against him. Zayn had gotten off to the worst start of his day, his bloody alarm hadn’t rung on time, and he had jolted up 30 minutes late, to the sound of his mum screeching at him to get up.

He had run out of the house, uniform a wrinkled mess and his tie askew when a fucking pigeon decided to shit on him – literally. With the gross warm and wet feeling down the back of his neck, he stiffly jogged his way back home and rinsed off in a cold shower (because thanks Walihya for using up all the hot water).

Running extremely late, he all but sprinted through the front gate of his school and into the main hallway, stomach sinking at the look of emptiness there. Not one student could be seen loitering there; that meant the second warning bell had already sounded and the first class was in session.

Fuck. Zayn wasn’t always big on swearing but right now he could think of a few choice words to grind out through clenched teeth and tight fists. Preparing himself for the onslaught of disappointment from his teachers and his mum, oh god his mum, for yet another ‘slip of tardiness’, he made his way towards his locker.

Nearing it he noticed a lone student standing near the main office, facing the door with his head ducked in silence. But Zayn didn’t have time for a student’s odd behavior, and he quickly remedied that by spinning his combination lock with practiced ease.

Only in his hurry and anger, he flung open the locker door with too much force, and it jammed with an ominous click.

He stood there for a few moments, pausing in fear, before trying the locker door again. This time it didn’t move and all he heard were his own fists pummeling the hollow metal.

Zayn’s mind was a flurry of curses in all the languages he knew, some that even his grandfather would gasp at.

“Hey” A quiet voice sounded loudly in the empty hallway and cut through Zayn’s rage and he jumped slightly and whirled around to face –

He gasped, Liam Payne, Liam bloody James Payne was standing there in front of him, brows endearingly furrowed, brown eyes shining in concern and that beautiful (soft rosy cheeks plump red lips like the inside of a raspberry) face tilting slightly as he regarded him.

“You okay? Need any help?” He continued as he approached Zayn slowly and warily as one would a spooked animal. A blush rose to his cheeks, which hopefully his stubble hid, as he thought back to how he acted in the hallway when he thought the student, Liam, wasn’t looking.

“Uhh, my locker is jammed?” His voice, for some reason, cracked and he cleared his throat, lest he further made a fool of himself in front of his crush. He pointed awkwardly to his locker in question and moved back so Liam could give it a try.

Now Zayn wasn’t in any way weak; his Dad had forced him to do enough bicep curls and push-ups so that he could handle himself in a fight or even in situations like these. But he would be lying if he said he wasn’t too frazzled to deal with a jammed locker at the moment.

Plus he always tended to lose at least 60 IQ points around Liam. Go figure.

Liam smiled invitingly at him with eyebrows rising slightly as he moved towards the locker. Zayn can only imagine what he looks like at the moment but he continues watching Liam.

Bless any God that is up there, Zayn thought, as he observed Liam folding up the sleeves of his white uniform shirt up to reveal tanned forearms. Large hands with delicate, long fingers gripped the handle of his locker door and fuck that Zayn will die before he admits he wanted to be that locker door for that one moment.

The object of his revered affection (thanks, brain, that’s a new one) pulls roughly at the door and all it does is cause a horribly loud, nails-on-a-chalkboard like metal noise. Both boys cringe away from the sound before Liam turns apologetically towards Zayn who has now lost all the colour in his face.

This can’t be happening again oh god if he gets that one more slip its suspension at least for 3 days what’s he gonna tell his mum –

His thoughts mercifully screech to a halt with a warm hand on his shoulder. Liam grounds him with that one touch before he’s turning back again to try. And Zayn knows in that moment, he has great choice (ha suck it Louis I told you he was perfect).

But it’s too late now anyway, and he can’t watch Liam do all that hard work for a dumb locker, he might as well go on to class without his books. He opens his mouth to inform Liam but –

“Arms” is all his awkward brain-to-mouth filter manages before he clamps his mouth shut.

Liam, bless him, only turns to him questioningly before Zayn tries to correct himself, “Like arms, you’ve got them, I mean it was a book about muscles and you’ve got quite a lot of those like no wait, I mean biology, I mean what – “

Liam has now completely turned to face him, placing both of those beautiful large hands on the tops of his shoulders, effectively shutting the litany of awkward statements up.

“Calm down, it’s alright, yeah?” That timbre voice resonates through him deliciously, and he’s pretty sure his toes are curling in his shoes right now.

But Liam continues with, “Forget about class? I’m having an awful day meself and maybe you can keep me company, say we go to a movie?”

“Really?” Zayn gasps, mouth falling open, because no fucking way did Liam ask him to a movie.

Liam is now shyly rubbing the back of his neck with his hand, head ducking down but warm eyes peering up at Zayn inquisitively. And he’d be a dead man in hell before he could say no to that.

Turns out he does get that suspension slip and he does get grounded by his mum and his Dad keeps sending him disappointed looks over the dinner table but years from now, when he’s at university studying art and living with his boyfriend who is training to be a firefighter, he’s going to look back and appreciate every goddamn minute he wasted on that fateful day.


	3. baby, it's you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: We’re both meant to be going on blind dates with other people but we sat down at the wrong table and got our hopes up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Liam inadvertently steals someone else’s date and completely ignores his own.

Okay, let’s be real here, Zayn didn’t exactly know what to expect from this date. All he knows is his mate, Niall, had another mate who had a brother or was it a cousin? He shook his head, no this was definitely too confusing to think about. He focused on the table in front of him, expensive cutlery glinting under the light from the large chandelier hanging in the middle of the room. This wasn’t exactly his cup of tea – blind dates. It was only because of Niall who convinced him to be here.

“You’ve never done blind dates? Seriously? You?” Niall had exclaimed.

Zayn frowned, “What’s with the tone bro?”

“Oh no it’s just you’re kind of a serial dater, mate.”

“Oi!”

“What? It’s true!” But Niall was right, he did tend to date a lot. So sue him, he still hadn’t found the one.

He had always been hopeless at dating and frankly that showed in his dating records. Sure, he was a serial dater but it only takes for someone to ask how many of those actually went well to understand how bad he really is. He’s awkwardly bad at it, and not in the cute kind of rom-com protagonist way.

He pulled himself out of his thoughts and looked around the restaurant, absently thinking of who Niall had set him up with.

Apparently, this guy was an online movie critic (whatever that is, Zayn can’t be bothered by someone’s profession) and was only average-looking but his personality and charm made up for it. Niall’s words and not his, of course, but Zayn had snorted violently into his pint of beer when he was told this. This resulted in Niall pelting him with spiced nuts from a bowl on the bar and being unceremoniously kicked out from the pub. Good times.

He took a deep breath to settle himself because already he could see a figure stumble into the restaurant, moving hastily like he was late (and his date was sort of five minutes late), one large hand clutched around a beautiful bunch of roses.

***

Blue was a pleasant colour, Liam thought frantically, as he rushed over to the pavement near the restaurant, but definitely not as pleasant when it was the icy cold disappointment shining in your best mate’s blue eyes. Louis was going to skin him if he was late because this was someone his boyfriend, Harry, knew very well and knowing how far up his boyfriend’s ass he was (Liam unfortunately has seen the harrowing sight) he wouldn’t let Liam screw this up.

Of course, he had been just as unhelpful describing his would-be date to Liam.

“Just look for the most gorgeous person there!” Louis had pompously declared to Liam.

“What? Lou, that is the worst description ever! There could be so many gorgeous people there.” Liam protested.

“Not all of the gorgeous people are gonna be sat alone on empty tables waiting for a date to show up are they?” Louis questioned, his eyebrows shooting comically up his forehead with each word.

Liam sighed, “What if there are?”

“Don’t be silly, Liam, that’s not gonna happen. Besides, how many blind dates could there possibly be happening that night?”

***

Just look for the gorgeous person. On an empty table. Yeah, how hard can that be? Yes indeed, Louis how hard can it be to look for a gorgeous, beautiful even –

His thoughts screeched to a halt as soon as he stumbled through the restaurant door. He was too caught up in what he saw to be embarrassed about it. That was because his eyes were trained on who was definitely the most gorgeous person here. Or ever, for that matter.

He had glanced up at Liam just as he stumbled through, ignoring the maitre’d’s hushed questions, and Liam felt like he would be damned in hell if he didn’t go near him.

He had raven-black hair, yeah raven is a word Liam never thought he’d use to describe someone’s hair and these beautiful, angelic eyes with lashes for ages. A sweet smile lit up his entire face, half covered in day-old scruff that Liam wanted to feel on his body forever, tongue peeking out from pink lips that looked as if they had been bitten into submission.

His head was tilted slightly back to look at Liam, and he saw the guy give him a quick once-over which Liam tried hard not to squirm at. Of course, that’s when reality hit him and he came back into himself as if pulled out from a trance. Immediately, his senses assaulted him, slight titters of conversation echoed in the restaurant and an insistent tinkling from above had him looking up to an opulent chandelier.

The movement caused him to realize he was still holding the bunch of roses he’d picked up from the floral shop before coming here. He all but shoved them into the guy’s face and winced slightly at his sharp gesture, expecting him to flinch but he only graced Liam with a bright grin. Long, delicate fingers trailed up the stems (de-thorned, Liam had made sure) and finally reached around Liam’s hands to clutch at the haphazardly thrown together bouquet.

He, and Liam really ought to learn his name by now, leaned in slightly to nose at the soft, deep red petals and seemed to swoon at the scent.

Meanwhile, Zayn couldn’t believe his luck. Online Movie Critic guy was winning in his dating books right now. Only slightly late, but looking like an absolute delectable pastry that just walked off the bakery shelves (he ought to stop hanging out with Niall) and presented him with roses of all flowers?

Sure roses seemed like a cliché and almost too-done choice for flowers, but Zayn’s favourite flower was a rose, be it any colour and a red rose on a romantic date? Yes, please.

Also, what the fuck was Niall talking about this guy being average in looks? He was handsome as hell, soft brown hair that were piled on top of his head in waves, a strand falling to his forehead, deep brown eyes that held such gentleness in them, the cutest button nose and a pair of sinful lips that were currently being licked at nervously, making them shine like raspberries in syrup.

Okay so maybe Zayn was hungry as well, but he would gratefully skip dinner to nibble on those lips. Still, he willed his libido to calm down, and smiled thankfully up at the guy, accepting his abrupt offering of roses.

Soon after, he sat down from across Zayn and the two shared a nervous look before bursting out laughing at the silliness of their situation.

Liam stopped laughing and cleared his throat before introducing himself, ‘Uhm, I’m Liam, and you are?”

“Oh, uh, it’s Zayn.” He offered awkwardly before biting his lip in nervousness, please don’t be awkward, please God don’t let him screw this up.

“Yeah it’s just my mate didn’t tell me your name, he only said to look for the most gorgeous person in the restaurant and I mean…” Liam trailed off awkwardly, hand coming up to rub his neck as he ducked his head down, breaking eye contact with Zayn.

Frankly, Zayn was surprised his lungs still worked since this guy, Liam, kept making him lose his breath. He blushed ferociously at his date’s words and smiled serenely at him before muttering a meek, “Thank you.”

Liam opened his mouth to, say what exactly? but his cellphone rang rather rudely in his jeans’ pocket. He cursed under his breath and brought his phone close to him before checking that it was Louis who was rude enough to call him on his date. He cut the call off without too much hassle and looked back up at Zayn apologizing quietly.

The man only shook his head and dismissed it. But before they could continue, Zayn’s own phone vibrated loudly on the table in between them, screen lighting up to let him know it was Niall calling. He gritted his teeth at the noise, so now that he actually meets someone amazing Niall decides to cockblock.

As soon as Zayn’s hand rose up to dismiss the call, Liam’s phone lit up yet again to signal a call from Louis. Both men laughed breathlessly at the insistence of their friends, with Liam excusing himself to go take the call. Zayn himself brought up his phone to his ear and accepted the call.

“Hey man what’s up, is everything alright?” Niall usually was never this bothered by something enough to call Zayn several times in a row.

“Zayn! Finally, dude, I’ve been calling for ages, I swear cell service is so shit wherever you are, the annoying lady kept saying it wasn’t connecting and then I – “

Yeah, Niall tended to ramble when he was worried.

“Wha-? Niall, Niall, why’d you call, mate? Is everything alright or not?”

“What, oh yeah, no it’s just I was worried you were gonna sit there for so long on your own so I just called to inform that he’s gonna be late, Mark just told me this.”

“Niall, what? Who? Who’s gonna be late where?” His friend made even less sense as he went on talking.

“James! Your date, James is gonna be late, he called to say he got roped into an extra meeting at work and – “

Zayn tuned out Niall’s rambling once again and turned to look at where Liam stood, his ‘date’s’ own face an incredulous expression as he talked to whoever on his phone.

***

Liam thought Louis was taking the piss at first. How’s the date going with Blake? Very funny, Louis!

And he had tried to hang up but Louis had kept on talking and Liam’s heart had kept on sinking.

“Harry was adamant about Blake, he said she’s the liveliest person you’ll meet, Li, maybe she’ll add something to your boring personality eh?” Louis had gone on to laugh rather boisterously at his own joke but Liam was silent. This couldn’t be.

He turned around to scan the restaurant and there, she sat, Liam guessed, Blake as her name was, looking less lively and more murderous at her empty table. Oh god, what had he done?

He hung up silently on Louis, pocketing his phone, as he staggered a step towards Blake but stopped quickly to turn where Zayn was sitting. He was gone.

Liam scrambled to look for where he had gone, their table, Zayn’s table, now empty with the chair pulled back like he had left in a hurry. His heart dropped painfully, this really took the cake of all Bad Things to Happen to Liam Payne in 2017. His eyes stung in embarrassment and in a weird sense of loss, like Zayn was the one who got away, like years from now he would tell his grandchildren the sob story in a regretful tone.

He pulled himself out of his mini pity-session and made his way towards Blake, who caught him coming up to her with an apologetic face.

***

Yeah, Liam thought tiredly thirty minutes later, that was the shortest and most painfully awkward date and let-down ever. He was almost glad with how bad it was since the embarrassment seemed to soothe the pain he felt when he saw that Zayn was gone from the restaurant.

He sighed deeply, eyes downcast, as he left the restaurant five minutes after Blake left, refusing to make eye contact with any of the staff working there, worried they were going to laugh at him or throw pitiful looks at him.

A lone street lamp flickered as he stepped out onto the damp pavement overlooking an empty street. It was late, just after 9, and everything around Liam was shrouded in heavy shadows. That’s the reason he didn’t notice a figure leaning against the restaurant’s building only a few feet away from him. He jumped in surprise as the figure stood up straight and turned to face him, surrounded by cigarette smoke swirling mysteriously around him.

Liam didn’t have enough time to think whether he was curious or scared because the figure quickly dropped his cigarette butt and crushed a heavy black boot on it before stepping out into the dull yellow light from the street lamps.

It was Zayn, Liam’s heart leapt in his chest as shock painted his expression. He gulped audibly as the man continued to walk towards him and stopped a foot away, face carefully blank of expression.

A moment later, he spoke, “I’m not happy with you.” Zayn’s husky, smoke-roughened voice told Liam.

Liam only ducked his head and nodded slightly before choking out a, “I know.”

He stuffed his hands into his pocket and hunched his shoulders; he was ready for an onslaught of harsh words and a rude dismissal.

“I mean, you gave me roses, called me the most gorgeous person in that restaurant and now you won’t even wine and dine me properly?” Zayn finished voice alight with amusement and was that fondness?

Liam’s head snapped up in surprise and he had only opened his mouth to blurt out a question before Zayn talked over him, “I expect a goodnight kiss, Leeyum.” A mischievious smile creeped onto his face as he ambled past Liam down the pavement, walking a few steps before he stopped and turned to call out. “You coming?”

Liam was by his side in a moment’s notice, boldly taking Zayn’s hand in his own, warm callous delicate-boned, that had the owner of said hand raising his eyebrows in surprise.

Both men smiled down at their hands intertwining and steps coordinating with each other’s as they marched off to god-knows-where for their date.


	4. Coffee and Seduction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: The boys attempt to seduce Liam with love notes so Zayn can stop pining.  
> (A special one for my Liri love)

We follow a chilly winter’s morning, the atmosphere was still buzzing with the week-past New Year’s Eve celebrations as hopeful resolution-keepers bounded back and forth with promises of activity.

The scene is modern-time New York, the streets covered in white, slippery ice; cars grounded and parked under heaps of settled snow, people trudging through inches of ice in sturdy boots and water-proof pants. A lonesome coffee shop stands tucked into the corner of a brownstone, its white and red shop sign glistening with ice under the faint sunlight.

The four members of the shop’s founding crew were dashing about busily, their coffee concoctions and warm pastries a hit with the holiday-exhausted crowd. Customers were ducking into the warmth of the shop, just to escape the bite of the snow-chilled air, only to be comforted by the intoxicating scent of brewing coffee and fresh baked goods.

The marble counter span an entire side of the shop; it was a glass-covered counter at the end where all their pastries, breads, pies, cakes, cheesecakes, croissants and buttery, sticky varieties of baklava.

The busy lines were branching out from the middle of the counter, where a loud, mouthy man with piercing blue eyes and a Yorkshire accent, stood accepting money and shouting out orders.

Behind him, a blond man with an infectious grin was bounding back and forth from the espresso machine and the syrup station, deftly switching coffee cups around with nimble, seasoned fingers.

Another man came out from behind the hidden door in the corner of the shop, where the baked goods were kept, with a proud, dimpled smile and a tray full of hot biscuits.

And right at the back of the shop, far away from the crowds and his manically busy friends, sat a quiet but observant man, who looked like he wanted to be elsewhere, like he wanted to escape into his mind.

His name was Zayn, a boy who had once come to New York as a very young 19 year-old with his three other friends, looking to write out his dreams. This was a boy who had failed miserably at achieving his dreams, enough to fall on hard times. The solution was soon decided simple: get a loan and open a coffee shop, supplying the one thing New Yorkers could survive an apocalypse with.

It had worked, tremendously so, and while Louis, Harry and Niall had been ecstatic at the success of their conjoined business, Zayn had still felt an ache of regret.

Currently, he sat doodling idly on a napkin, which belonged to their shop, the name ‘Just Brew It’ etched in a cursive brown font over white. Niall had been the one to come up with the name, claiming Shia LaBeouf as inspiration.

**

Back at the end of the line was stood a frazzled and very late Liam Payne. Usually, he couldn’t give a rat’s arse about being early, his PA gracious enough to handle any problems before he lazily popped in at 11am. But today was different. He was supposed to be at a meeting with an important client, the sort who’d happily invest millions of dollars into Liam’s company if he was buttered just the right way.

But he needed to be charming, and in order to be charming, he needed coffee.  _Desperately._

And that is why he was stood on a Tuesday morning, detesting the loud crowds around him who were enjoying the cold in a coffee shop that looked ordinary enough. But, it was the closest to his office right now and Liam didn’t want to risk a 10 minute drive to his favourite coffee place with the risk of getting stuck in traffic.

A child was crying loudly next to him, sat on a chair beside a stressed-looking mum and Liam was sure he going to join the crying child soon if he didn’t get his caffeine fix.

He loosened his tie, before changing his mind and doing it up again, he can’t look even a tiny bit off, he was dressed to impress. He scanned the large interior of the shop, eyes roving casually over the baristas and a tall man who was holding a tray of what looked like biscuits.

Liam froze to a stop, as his eyes locked onto the silhouette of a young man. He couldn’t see much of the man; his head full of shock black hair was ducked down, arms littered in numerous tattoos, shown off by a short-sleeved work tee. A light scruff on his jaw was all Liam could make of his face until –

His breath was taken away, quite literally, when the man, the  _boy,_ looked up to face his coworker who came over to him. And when the boy smiled, a sweet and serene thing, beautifully glinting eyes crinkling up and a perfectly angled nose that held a hint of scrunch, Liam’s jaw weakened and he feared he was about to start drooling.

The boy’s face was enough to stir something up inside of Liam, something that had been silenced a long time ago, an urge to possess, an urge to  _ruin_  but in the most delicious way possible.

 _God,_  was he actually stood here in a coffee shop lusting after a random barista? He fanned himself with his suit jacket inconspicuously, looking around to make sure no one saw that.

He edged slowly up the line, people in front of him leaving one by one, but he kept his eyes trained on the boy, he couldn’t help himself. Seconds turned into minutes and yet Liam still couldn’t take his eyes off him.

***

“Zaynie!” Niall rushed up to him as he was doodling still, and he looked up at his friend, gracing him with a small smile. Niall’s liveliness was always infectious, his cackling laughter some of the best noises Zayn has ever heard.

“What’s up?”

“Louis wants to know why you’re brooding again.” Niall stated bluntly, head tilting backwards where Louis was pretending not to listen.

With a huff, Zayn replied, “I’m not brooding – no, honestly I’m  _not.”_ He emphasized as his friend looked doubtful.

“Just, I feel like there’s nothing to look forward to this year. I dunno, is this what seasonal depression feels like?”

Louis, who had given up all pretense of not listening, came over and tapped Niall on the shoulder to let him take over the orders. His perceived stare bore through Zayn, the latter of whom squirmed uncomfortably under the scrutiny.

“Listen, mate, how about we use that money we saved and get you to – “

Zayn hastily replied with a resounding  _no,_  that money was for when it all went balls up, and he wasn’t going to waste it just because he felt homesick or bored.

“Oi, Louis! Here’s a Midlander for ya!” Niall called out from his position at the cash register, a wide grin threatening to split his face as he chatted merrily with a customer.

Louis turned around with a confused expression, “What, is someone cosplaying again?”

Zayn snorted and got up from his seat, determined to end the uncomfortably deep conversation he was having with Louis. He walked towards Niall with a smile, “Nah, it just means the person is from –“

But the rest of his sentence never made it out of his throat because apparently someone ran away with his tongue.  _Someone_ who looked a lot like the man standing in front of him; regarding Zayn with calculating yet warm brown eyes.

Zayn took a few seconds to take him in, he seemed to be older than him,  _late 30s maybe?_ He had those aforementioned gentle brown eyes, an adorably appropriate button nose and lips that were made to sin.

_How were they so red? –_

A loud clearing of the throat snapped him out of his reverie and he winced and realized he had been staring at the customer’s lips. His cheeks flushed heavily and he ducked down behind Niall who was turning violently purple from holding in his laughter. The  _dick._

A deep voice brought his attention back to the man who only amusedly murmured, “That’s Outlander, actually,” in a familiar yet foreign accent. He was English and his accent was maybe close to where Louis and Zayn originated from, but it had a slight tang of New York phasing out of it.

So, he was someone who has lived here long, Zayn thought absently as he kept his eyes trained on the cup in front of him, uncapping a marker before looking up at the man again.

“Your name?” He rasped out, clearing his throat and hopefully his thoughts of anything too inappropriate.

 _…Is what you’ll shout when I finally get you under me,_ Liam thought, before mentally giving his brain a slap. He was here for coffee not to pick a barista up.

“Liam,” he assuredly stated, a bit of his lost confidence in the face of beauty ( _literally_ ) returning to his demeanour.

He was confident and assertive in the way he uttered his name, and Liam was a name Zayn felt he wouldn’t forget anytime soon. He blushed lightly at his own thoughts and got to work quickly, unknowingly tugging at the heart strings of a man who thought that love was lost to him.

***

Right, so Zayn was definitely,  _properly_ , gone for Liam. Everything about the man endeared and set him on fire simultaneously. Those eyes as they crinkled up in a rare laugh at something Zayn said, that cute button nose that always takes the time to sniff at Harry’s baked goods appreciatively, and those lips that curve perfectly around his name.

Liam had been coming round to the coffee shop for over a month now and with the weather slowly warming up and Valentine’s Day fast approaching, Zayn was adamant to date Liam.

He’s got this coffee coloured birthmark that he feels is some sort of fated clue; Liam was always dressed professionally and rather deliciously in suits with perfectly knotted ties. Zayn’s favourite was the grey check-patterned suit paired with a white shirt and a pink silk pocket square.

Liam had been going to a charity gala wearing that suit, he’d informed Zayn , as he stood idly in front of the marble counter, on a less busy evening while Zayn waited for the espresso to brew.

Zayn remembered he could hardly keep his eyes off the man, his hair shorn down to a buzzcut with the slightest hint of silver around his temples. But he was soon caught, as amused brown eyes met his as Zayn finally finished doing a body scan on Liam.

The boy had blushed intensely before turning his back on Liam, pretending to keep busy with the espresso, even though he had to do nothing; the machine was doing all the work.

A slight chuckle was all he heard before the machine dripped the dark brown liquid down into the waiting shot glass. A few minutes later, he finished preparing the man’s drink and handed it over to him with a small smile.

“Thank you,” was all Liam murmured to him before he was graced with a wink and the man soon left after.

And  _that_  is exactly why Zayn is confused; Liam seems to show interest in the way he regards Zayn, the way his stare makes the boy’s cheeks flame, the little flirty moments and smirks Liam throws his way.

A  _month_  of flirty conversations and suggestive looks and yet not even an invitation to a drink?

Yeah, he was confused.

So he did what any person in a confusing situation might do, he turned to his friends. But as he filled his three friends in on his troubles, three very sly, almost Cheshire cat-like grins awaited him. He could practically see Louis rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

_What the fuck did he just get himself into?_

_***_

Harry opted to help him out first, which was rather helpful of his friend, Zayn thought, but all that ground to a halt when he heard his friend’s idea.

“A  _love_  note?” Zayn all but exclaimed incredulously as he lounged on their shared couch in the little apartment they shared not a long way away from the shop.

Harry who was currently perched on Louis’ lap (“ _My baby may have outgrown me, but he’s still my baby!”)_  nodded enthusiastically at him, jostling his boyfriend’s grip on his beer bottle.

“Watch it!”

Harry only frowned down at Louis before turning back to Zayn, ignoring his boyfriend’s irritated huff.

“Trust me, Liam’s gonna love it and he’s going to be begging to know who it’s from!”

Zayn sighed quietly, mulling over the proposed idea.

The television blared loudly as Niall sat on the carpeted floor in front of it, staring unblinkingly at Tiger Woods moving around on a golf course. Louis looked like he was close to dozing off, his head already leaning against Harry’s shoulder and his beer bottle now lying empty on the floor.

 _Great,_  so those two were no help.

He remained unconvinced by the idea of an unsigned love note for Liam but Harry’s dimples deepened invitingly and those trustworthy, green eyes finally groaned an agreement out of him.

God help him.

The next morning, Harry was acting like someone had willingly handed a baby over to him and named him Mick; he was dashing about, throwing smug grins at Zayn who only rolled his eyes at the impish behaviour.

When Zayn had asked him that morning, before the doors to the shop were opened, what he had written in the love note, Harry had only shaken his head in a scolding manner before ordering him to start the service.

Soon, Liam was stood in front of the cash register, ordering his usual coffee to-go, grinning at Louis as they made small talk. Zayn was tucked in the shadows at the end of the shop, keeping an eye on Harry as he bounded up to Liam with a pastry package. He shoved it at a perplexed Liam before rather loudly proclaiming, “From a secret admirer!”

Zayn groaned internally and hid his head in his hands, trust Mr. “I’m a baker!” to want to seduce a man with a baked pastry. When he looked back up, Liam was stood a little way down the marble counter to the side where there were no customers. He was preoccupied with the pastry bag, those adorable bushy eyebrows furrowing in confusion as he pulled out a card. His eyes rove over the card before he pursed his lips in an odd expression.

Oh wow, this was Liam trying to hold in his laughter.

Wait –

He was  _laughing_ at the card, oh  _God,_  what did Harry do?

Mind made up, he casually strolled past the cash register, pretending to straighten up the syrup station before he noticed Liam.

“Oh! Liam, didn’t see you there, mate. What’s that you’ve got?” He asked as nonchalantly as possible, although going by Louis’ scoff he may have come across as too eager.

But the man didn’t mind sharing the ridiculous card, a large grin gracing his usually subdued features. He flipped the card towards Zayn and held it up. The boy took a look; it was a pink and white Valentine’s card with a smiling cartooned hammer and a nail looking at each other. The caption said: “I want to nail you! Happy Valentine’s Day!”

Zayn paled considerably as Liam took his expression as horrified judgment and laughed loudly.

“This is properly hilarious, and kind of unnecessary.” Liam said, casually looking up at Zayn but his attention still on the god-awful card.

“Unnecessary?” Zayn stuttered out.

“Yeah, it’s just whoever this is clearly wants no-strings attached and I mean at this point in my life, I’m not looking for that. I’m looking for something permanent.” He proclaimed, the words hanging meaningfully between them before Liam rapped the counter with his knuckles and headed out with a goodbye.

Zayn stood there, utterly embarrassed yet still determined, if he was to judge Liam’s intent gaze towards him as he stated his wish for a future.

And yes, he wanted exactly that. He wanted a future with Liam, where instead of sharing small smiles and awkward small talk over the marble counter, he shared soft, gentle pecks and warm hugs with a murmured  _good morning_.

He sighed heavily and banged his forehead against the marble.

Right, time to break out the big guns. Tommo to the rescue.

***

Louis was very secretive about his idea, even went as far as to claim it was a gift. Now that confused Zayn, because Louis had packed the ‘gift’ into a very thin brown bag to go with Liam’s Sunday coffee and breakfast that he always took at the shop.

Sundays were also pretty stressful for Zayn; not just that customers were milling in by the tens, rather a very intense looking Liam Payne sat in close proximity to where Zayn usually stood behind the counter. His knees felt weak every time they made eye contact, something hot and stormy brewing in those brown orbs.

But as Liam reached for his breakfast sandwich, something heavy like a booklet falls out of the brown packaging. Confusedly, he reached down for the long booklet that looked more like a cheque book but the vibrant pink and purple colours assured him it wasn’t.

He raised his head and looked around, maybe someone slipped it in or left it accidentally, but he paused as he flipped it around to read what was written on it.

Across the shop, Zayn held his breath as Liam looked around him at the customers chatting away before finally zeroing in on Louis.

Zayn frowned as he watched Liam stand up from his chair and stride determinedly towards Louis before seeming hesitant to talk to him.

“Mate?” Louis has noticed now that Liam is stood in front of him, but he doesn’t see the cheque book like gift clutched in Liam’s fist.

The older man clears his throat uncomfortably, before raising the booklet to Louis’ eye level.

“Um, Louis, I appreciate the gift but, um, I’m not sure you and I – “

But Zayn zoned out of what Liam was saying, no his attention was on the booklet that Liam was waving around.

“Sex Favours for You,” it proclaimed in a loud, black text as Zayn felt like he needed to change state into a liquid form so he could gladly sink down a drain.

Shamefaced, his cheeks burned red as he watched Liam continue his speech apparently letting Louis down gently.

But his friend only chuckled, causing Liam to stop and raise his eyebrows.

“Mate! It’s not from  _me,_  it’s from your secret admirer.” Louis set the record straight, with a smug expression fixed on his face.

Liam’s face cleared itself of the discomfort, and he laughed lightly and flapped the book around comically. For some reason, he snuck a look at Zayn, who hurried to look busy and not like he was shamelessly eavesdropping.

The man cleared his throat and went to a nearby bin, dropping the booklet unceremoniously and without any doubts. Zayn held his breath; what did this mean for him? Sure, Liam said he wasn’t interested in only sex but had looked at him rather significantly before throwing the gift away.

Seriously, what was he going to do now?

***

Zayn flopped onto his belly with a groan on his bed. Niall patted his leg affectionately before falling silent; the only sounds in the room were Zayn’s heavy breathing and Niall’s constant munching on crisps.

“Zaynie…” Niall started gently, before sighing and discarding his packet of snacks to the side before manhandling Zayn to face him.

“Stop it,” he warned him, flicking Zayn’s nose. “You’re overthinking this, mate. You like him right? Just tell him! Or if it’s easier for you, write it down and give it to him.”

Zayn’s voice wobbled as he managed a, “Niall, I think I love him.” The boy turned back onto his belly, hiding his face in his pillow, eyes filled with tears.

But Niall jumped up off the bed landing with a thump on the floor.

“That’s it!” He reached over to Zayn’s work desk, a mess of scripts and unfinished works, before taking out a writing pad and offering it to Zayn with a pen.

“Write what you love about him,” Niall ordered Zayn who only stared at his friend in a daze before he was sitting up and accepting the pad and pen.

“What’s that gonna do?” Zayn’s voice rasped out, tears still evident in his tone.

“Solve your fecking problems!” Niall turned rather dramatically and marched out of Zayn’s bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

Words were his thing, had always been his specialty, even when they failed to get him his dream career. That’s what he did best. So Zayn put pen to paper and started writing, loopy handwriting shaping out the profound sort of love he felt for Liam.

***

The next day Liam doesn’t show up until the evening; clad in a black tux this time, hair grown out and artfully styled, a small smile gracing his features as he greeted Zayn.

The boy was subdued Liam noticed, more so than usual, and his odd behaviour worried the man who didn’t like seeing Zayn like this, like someone had snuffed out the light inside of him.

Zayn was chewing incessantly on his bottom lip, refusing to make eye contact with Liam but soon Niall brought his order out with a big grin.

Liam accepted it with and absent-minded thanks, and turned around to leave before he realized something was wrong halfway out of the shop. His coffee cup was empty; rather it was full of papers, he realized perplexedly, as he shook it back and forth and heard a rustling.

Confused beyond belief and fearing something inappropriate yet again, he slowly edged the lid off and stared down at the messy mound of chits, loopy handwriting staring up at him.

The first chit was unrolled and it read, “I love the way he smirks at me with those unbelievable looking lips.”

Liam huffed at the sentence, bizarre as it was, he couldn’t help but notice the word ‘love’. His heart skipped a beat and he reached for another chit, oblivious to the four sets of eyes on him, one particular set belonged to a rather nervous and teary-eyed boy.

The second one read, “I love the way he always says good morning even if he’s having a shit day.”

A third chit said, “I love the way his eyes twinkle when he talks about his family.”

“I love the little coffee-coloured birthmark on his neck.”

“I love that he always takes the time to get to know people.”

“I love the suits he wears almost every day.”

“I love the fact that even though he doesn’t love me, he always makes sure I’m okay.”

At the last one, Liam furrowed his eyebrows, emotions flitting from happiness to complete confusion. Who was this person? And how did they know him so well? He was about to look up to ask Niall, when he noticed a final chit at the bottom of the empty cup.

_“I love you, Liam. Always._

_\- Zayn xx”_

Liam’s breath whooshed out of him, and he looked up at the boy with his mouth agape.

Zayn  _loved him? Him?_

Finally, the last puzzle piece shifted into place; the boy he was head over heels for was actually interested in him, in  _Liam._  He could scarcely believe his luck, not only was he under the impression that Zayn wasn’t interested in him, Liam was always aware of the significant age gap between them.

He huffed out a breath incredulously before forcing himself to move. But he didn’t make his way towards Zayn like his heart was pushing him to.

He forced himself to walk out the door determinedly.

Zayn watched the love of his life walk out of the coffee shop, possibly to never return. The coffee shop was completely empty of customers and Zayn couldn’t help but let out a wounded noise as he sank to the ground, arms wrapped around himself.

He felt hands on him, comforting words murmured into his hair, but he didn’t care. Liam had taken one look at the person behind the silly notes and decided he didn’t want any of it. All of his fears had come true.

He doesn’t know how long he sat there, knees aching, crying into his friends’ embraces, before a loud bang jolted him.

Footsteps hurried towards them, and he heard Louis shout out, “What the fuck do you want now?”

All of a sudden, he felt the warmth of Harry leave him, and Zayn felt shocked at the loss before it was replaced by another person.  _Liam._

“Darling, don’t cry,” Liam cooed in his ear, lips pressing gently onto his tear-stained cheeks.

Zayn let out a confused sob as he cautiously looked up at Liam, who only tutted quietly at him, cupping his cheeks with large hands. A fleeting kiss was pressed into his forehead and Zayn leaned into the wonderful feeling before Liam was wiping his tears for him.

Still sitting on the floor like a dolt, Zayn attempted to sort himself out as best he could, scrubbing his face clean of tears and running a haphazard hand through his hair.

Liam gazed patiently at Zayn before murmuring to the boy, “Now, I still have an event to get to, darling, but I was wondering if you were free tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow? Why?” The boy asked with an adorably confused expression on his face.

Liam beamed at him, “Yeah, there’s this art gallery opening I want to take you to.”

Zayn’s mouth gaped open, eyes wide as they gazed up at Liam, “You – you’re taking me to an art show? Like – on a date?”

The man nodded and chuckled at Zayn’s answering grin, pressing more lingering kisses onto the boy’s cheeks before moving away to stand up.

Zayn stood up with him, noting how his friends had already left, probably to grace him with the last shred of dignity he had left. Liam reached over to the marble counter, where he picked up a beautiful bouquet of white roses and offered it gently to Zayn.

“White roses for my Yorkshire boy.”

Liam leaned down and kissed the corner of his mouth softly, before smiling at him and turning away to the doors of the shop. He stopped at the doors and turned back to Zayn and called out.

“See you tomorrow, darling. I’ll pick you up.”

And with that final sentence, the love of Zayn’s life walked out again, this time leaving the boy with a heart bursting full of joy and a smile that lasted for hours as he buried his nose in the beautiful flowers all night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> come see me: ohthathurt.tumblr.com


	5. been waiting for a lifetime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "I promise I'll come back", Magic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> guess I finally wrote angst lmao

Time twisted around him, morphing into shadows that stretched beyond his awareness; tendrils of light came and went in a flash while the void waited, absently hanging around him, immersing him in his darkest moments.

Nothing made sense anymore; it didn’t make sense that time just moved on. There was a time when he couldn’t fathom a future like this; a future where he felt so desolate.

_“I promise I’ll come back.”_

And yet it did. It happened; like an electric shock that traveled faster than light and then he was stuck, stuck in a moment that he lived over and over.

_“I promise…”_

A whisper, the press of trembling lips against his skin, being squeezed into a terrifyingly tight hug; arms that would never embrace him again and lips that would never utter his name in reverence.

Gone.

_“…I’ll come back.”_

***

_Zayn was shaken awake from his deepest sleep with a jolt, there was some sort of commotion happening around him but he was too disorientated. He rubbed his eyes and leaned up on one elbow to peer through the dark bedroom._

_He was on his back, sheets tangled between his legs, but no Liam. He palmed his boyfriend’s side of the bed but found it was barely warm; a faint thump from their bathroom alerted him of Liam’s location._

_Forcing himself onto his feet, he heaved himself up off the bed with a low groan and shuffled towards the bathroom. But Liam was already rushing out, and Zayn realized with a jolt that he was fully dressed._

_“Liam? Baby what – “_

_But Liam was already crowding against him, warm hands against his shoulders and a forehead against his temple. He could hear his boyfriend whisper frantically._

_“Baby, I’m so, so sorry. I have to leave but Zayn I swear I didn’t know this was going to happen – “_

_“Liam, what?” Zayn pushed his boyfriend’s face up into the faint light, taking in his pale features and stricken expression. Now he was genuinely worried._

_“Where are you going, jaan? It’s really late right now.” He tried coaxing Liam into a relaxed state so he could find out what was happening. But Liam wasn’t having it. He shrugged his boyfriend’s touch off gently and ran off towards a duffle bag set against their bed on the floor._

_Zayn’s blood turned to ice. No, no, no, this was not happening; Liam was leaving, leaving Zayn in the middle of the night?_

_He choked out an anxious sob, the sound causing Liam to whip his head around to face Zayn. Soon, Zayn was on the receiving end of Liam’s infamous hugs; warm, steady, and just full of love._

_He took deep breaths to calm himself down; it wouldn’t do to have a panic attack while his boyfriend clearly needed him. He took a measured step back from Liam, raising his questioning gaze at him._

_Liam sighed heavily, “There’s a few important things about myself that I haven’t told you. Hell, not even our friends know. And they can’t know. Neither can you but maybe right now you should.”_

_Zayn only shook his head confusedly. None of this was making sense. He was Liam, his Leeyum, that’s it._

_“I can do something extraordinary. Not just me, actually, there’s a whole bunch of people like us out there. And right now, darling, we’re under attack. I need to leave and find a safe space. But don’t you dare worry, no one is going to come after you, I have protection in place for that.”_

_Zayn quickly did a deduction in his head, “Baby, are you in the witness protection program or something?”_

_Liam laughed but his voice sounded strangled, “I wish, darling, God I really wish. But, no this is different. It involves magic.” He ended his sentence, tentatively watching Zayn’s reaction; the man had now gone stock still._

_There was no way Liam was a nutcase, Zayn knew the signs, he would’ve seen something like that coming but no, there was clarity in his boyfriend’s eyes and a lot of fear. Was it for Zayn?_

_Zayn clutched at the hem of Liam’s sleeves and held on for dear life._

_“So where are you going? Take me with you.” It wasn’t even a question whether he would give up his entire life just to be with Liam. There was a hidden ring inside his bedside drawers to prove exactly that._

_But Liam was shaking his head, “No, darling. I can’t. Where I’m going is not exactly safe.”_

_“Theres a – a war happening.”_

_If Zayn had thought he felt faint then, now he positively felt dizzy. This sounded mad._

_Too soon, Liam was kissing him like it was truly the last kiss he’d ever get from Zayn, lips clinging on and breath coming short. He tore away from Zayn and just gazed at him, expression intense._

_A hand came up to cradle Zayn’s cheek, “I promise I’ll come back. I promise.”_

_***_

There was something rather comforting that settled within him when the boys came around. A scent of apples that clung onto Harry and the sharp tang of Yorkshire tea that Louis always brought with him. Niall’s boisterous laughter and warm eyes always humoured him for just that one moment, before he slid back down into the dark hole he himself had dug in his mind.

Zayn tucked himself into Harry’s side, entertaining himself by watching Louis and Niall practically go at each other on Halo, steadfastly ignoring the fond glance Harry threw him.

“You doing okay?” Harry whispered to him, eyes stuck on his husband and friend squabbling like little children.

“ _I promise, I’ll come back.”_

Zayn could only nod mechanically, because it had been 6 months of constant questions and no; he was still not okay.

He didn’t know how long it would be until the questions stopped or he actually admitted out loud that he had lost himself the day he lost the love of his life.

Liam.  _Liam._  He couldn’t even say his name without a stabbing pain in his heart. He had just left Zayn in the middle of the night, never to come back. It had been 6 months now and the ache in his heart was now a throbbing dull pain.

It wasn’t getting any better.

“Maybe I should move to France.” Zayn’s hoarse voice jolted the room into shocked silence. Niall and Louis joined Harry into staring at him with stunned expressions.

“France? Mate, why?” Louis asked incredulously.

But Zayn was already avoiding everyone’s eyes as he answered, “I can marry Liam posthumously there.”

Within a few seconds, there was a flurry of limbs as Zayn found himself encased in his friends’ arms as painful, raw sobs jerked out of him. The hugs should have helped, but they didn’t, because there were no rose-tattooed hands comforting him or the soothing scent of his long-lost boyfriend.

***

Zayn kept a close look on his calendar near the clock in the kitchen. Days passed were crossed over with red. 207 days now. Numbly, he watched the clock’s hands tick over to 12am. The kitchen was shrouded in pitch black shadows, his eyes having adjusted due to his tendency to keep the house,  _their house,_  in complete darkness.

A light caught his eye from the kitchen window, a faint ember in the distance. It didn’t look like fire or even headlights, maybe a torch? But who would be roaming around the neighbourhood at this hour with a torch. Absently, he realized it could be robbers.

Realizing his present state of mind wasn’t the best, Zayn shuffled over the floorboards of the kitchen, towards the back door of the house that opened to where he could see the light still. He threw open the door with a jerk of his hand and stood there in his night clothes, a shirt that used to be Liam’s and some old joggers.

But when he looked for the pinpoint light of a torch, he found himself face to face with an ethereal glow. A luminescent being was hovering in front of him, almost in stasis, regarding him with knowing intelligence. It morphed into a wolf and hit the ground onto its hind legs, its edges glowing with a vibrant and brilliant blue.

Zayn stood stock still, absolutely mesmerized by it. He could feel something close to him, some sort of acknowledgement that this animal was trying to pass on. He reached out trembling fingers towards it but it faded out of existence right before his eyes, leaving him standing in the cold, barefoot.

He shook his head and looked for it but it had completely vanished by now, not leaving any trace. Zayn stood there a moment still, not sure why but he must have sensed something, because the next thing he knew there was a loud crack in the silent night.

He almost ducked like he was expecting an attack, like maybe he really had fooled his mind into seeing something that wasn’t there. But he was prevented from doing so, because his eyes caught onto a faint figure in the darkness.

 _“I promise I’ll come back.”_  Liam whispered from within his mind.

He took a step forward and was met with shockingly brown eyes, warmth flickering in them, faint scars on a beautiful face and a haggard yet happy expression.

The man cocked a small smile at him and Zayn lost the feeling in his legs and fell to the floor.

But he didn’t feel the pain this time; this time he was caught into a loving embrace, the sort he had craved for the better part of a year now.

Liam was  _back._


End file.
